Means for propelling coaster wagons and other vehicles



Nov. 12, 1929. c. J. ASHBY I 1,735,665

MEANS FOR PROPELLING COASTER WAGONS AND OTHER VEHICLES I Filed Aug. }6. 1928 4 which has cranks 5, 6; as shown, these Patented Nov. 12, 1929 GASSIUS JEFFERSON ASHBY, OF EVANSVILLE, INDIANA MEANS FOR PROPELLING' COASTER WAGONS Ann OTHER, VEHICLES Application filed August 16, 1928. Serial No. 800,018.

The object of my invention is to provide simple, durable, inexpensive, and efiicient, double-acting hand-operated means which can be applied to a childs coaster wagon, perambulator, or wheeled invalid chair, or other vehicle whereby the vehicle maybe easily propelled by the occupant in a relatively smooth and even fashion and without requiring much exertion.

My improvements comprise a pair of 'reciprocatory racks suitably mounted on the wagon or other vehicle, a crank-axle for the propelling wheels of the vehicle, connecting rods which connect the racks to the cranks of the axle, a pinion meshing with both of the racks, and manually operable means for shiftingone of theracks,the movement of the shifted rack being communicated to the other rack through the intermediate pinion. The cranks of the crank axle may be set in diametrically opposite arrangement to facilitate the even-- ness of the propulsion action thereon by the oppositely acting racks.

In the accompanymgdrawings:

Figure 1, is a side elevation of a coaster wagon provided with my improvements; and

- Fig. 2, is a bottom view thereof.

o The wagon body appears at 1, the steerlng wheels and axle and tongue are shown at 2,

and the propelling-rear, wheels appear at 3. The rear wheels are carried by acrank axle cranks are set at 180 apart so that the impel the wagon.

pulses of the mechanism now to be described,

will result in a more or lesssubstantially con- I -.rec1procat0ry racks, connectmg rods connect tinuous application of the power to axle d and minimize manual effort required to pro- Depending from the body 1 are hangers 7 which are suitably bolted or secured to the body as shown at 8. Secured to, and bridging,.the hangers 7 is a center piece or filler 9 which is fastened to the hangers at 10. J ournalled to the piece 9 at 11 is a'pinion12.

In the hangers 7 and guided thereby and guided by the opposite sides of the tiller block 9, are the oppositely reciprocating racks 12 which mesh with the pinion 11. The racks are connected to the cranks 5, 6' by connect-- ing rods 13, 1d.

Suitably journalled in bearings 15 connect- I ed to the body 1, is a shaft 16 which has a handle 17 and is provided with an arm 18 which grasped by the occupant of the wagon.

By pushing and pulling'on the handle 17, the rack 12 is moved in one'direction or the other and, through the medium of the pinion 12, an. opposite movement'is transmitted to the other rack 12. These to and fro movements of the racks 12 impart pushing and pulling impulses to the crank axle 4L toenable the wagon to be'prop-elled. Y

By reason of the rack and pinion construction employed, a braking action can be had on the wheels 3, when desired, the operator resisting the tendency of the handleto move.

While the invention is described in connec tion with a coaster wagon such as used by 2 children, the mechanism iswell adapted for use inconnection withperambulators and invalid chairs. f

WhatIclaim is: a

1. Means for propelling coaster wagons and other vehicles comprising crank axle, reciprocatory racks, connecting rods connecting theracks with'the respectivecranks of the ing the racks with the'respective cranks ofthe axle, a pinion meshing with both of the racks, whereby the racks when acutated will travel in opposite directions, arockshaft having a manipulating lever and an arm which is connected to oneof said racks, hangers for guiding the racks, and a filler block connected to the hangers and interposed between the racks i and serving as a guiding means therefor, said 7 filler block'carrying the aforesaid pinion.

In testimony whereof I'aifix' my signature.

oAssrUs EFFERso ASHBY. V 

